A night of improvisation - musically and otherwise.

I got there in the middle (or maybe it was toward the end) of Peter Rowan's first set. He was playing with the "Free Mexican Airforce", which consisted of a woman whose name escapes me on bass, a man whose name escapes me on mandolin, and Tony Trischka on banjo. I walked in on a slow number (I'm afraid I know very few of the titles, so I'll just refer to them by the constant refrains I heard), I think it was called "Jordan" or maybe "Banks of the Jordan". It was quite moving vocally. Then they played a fast tune I think was called "This Old World". This was followed by another slow tune, announced as being written by Carter Stanley. He didn't give the title though. I think it was called "White Dove"? Then he ended the set with a fast little breakdown of an instrumental. I have no idea what it was called. But that was the best one I had heard all night up to that point, and really woke up the audience. Seemed like most folks were there to boogie and the slower tunes were going over alot of their heads. Oh well.

Set two began with what I believe was called "Green Fields". Then he went into a real funky number called "Tin Roof Shack". This was the hot dam, yee-haw, hoo boy number of the evening. Many dancin' feet on the Pony floor at this point. And the bass player was really slappin' the hell out of that upright, much to the delight of the crowd. Peter Rowan then left the stage for a moment whilst the Airforce jammed on a little breakdown of a number called "The Kentucky Mandolin", written by Bill Monroe. Some very nice mandolin and banjo solos. Rowan came back onstage for a slow as molasses "Cold Rain & Snow". There are two songs I could never stand to hear at a slow tempo: "Friend of the Devil" and "Cold Rain & Snow". Rowan's voice was excellent on this one, but I kept waiting for the train to leave the station, only to watch the locomotive idle and steam. Oh well. "The Land of the Navajo" finished set II, with some fine Peter Rowan yodelling.

The crowd, though thin and sparse, screamed and clapped as loud as possible upon the Airforce's exit. After a theatrical pause, they reappeared for two more numbers, both from Rowan's new "Reggaebilly" album that he recorded in Kingston. "Fetch Wood, Carry Water" was a slow island crawler of a tune, while "Devil By the Tail" had a funkier and faster rhythm to it. Right in the middle of that number, the sound system "popped", with the force of a car backfiring or something. Freaked the band out a little, but they quickly recovered and finished the tune, with a very appreciative crowd sending them off with thunderous applause.

So obviously I had never heard Peter Rowan before. I dug it. Somehow the Stone Pony didn't seem like the right setting for this type of music though. Maybe the Stanhope House would lend itself, but really, the music has a very outdoorsy feel to it. I literally wanted to be on a backporch somewhere listening to them jam, or in a field at least. But for my first time, I was suitably impressed. He obviously has an ear for talent, as every single instrumentalist had the ability to flourish on his or her solos, then immediately get back into the groove without stepping on anyone's toes. I enjoyed it, but hope to seem them again in a more acoustically friendly setting.

Now then, the reason we were all there, of course, was to see the Suns. Sadly, Bruce was more than a little under the weather and had to pack it in before showtime. But, New Pennsyljersey's Secretary of State, WillDawg, rose to the occasion - picking up Bruce's bass and joining the Suns for their abbreviated midnight set. Taper Tim also lent his vocal and guitar skills to the cause. The announcer introduced them as "Juggling Friends", and indeed, they wouldn't be playing any Juggling originals this evening. Nonetheless, for a last minute set-up, they played a kick-ass show (as always) and made the crowd very happy. They started noodling around on a "Doors"-ish jam, stopped, then fired off a ripping "Iko Iko", with very electrified solos from Mark and Gus. Dan Tepper came onstage for "Can't Always Get", playing a fiery Carribean solo. Gus teased a line from one of those 60's surf tunes I can never remember the name of, then Mark started in a on a wailing blues solo that morphed into a real yoga session, his spine arching back and forth, neck twisting, head shaking like a leaf, all the while eliciting electric screams from his Fender. Quite a sight to behold.

Tim's harmonies with Gus were the highlight of "Masterpiece." Then out came the Sandy Hook Harbor Pilots Association's finest instrumentalist, Kenny "Stringbean" Sorensen, to wail on "Let It Rock". Again, this is a song I prefer to hear at a faster tempo, but Tim still sang it with gusto. "Obsession" devolved into an "Other One" jam, and I really thought they were going to take it somewhere. But I guess time was running out and they wanted to close with "Mystery Train". Oh well. It was a damn fine "Train", though. Kenny wailed on harp and Gus played a crazy ass piano solo that had the crowd shaking it's collective tail feather.

A great reunion of shore area talent on the Pony stage and a wonderful show. Let's all send our best vibes out to Bruce and hope he gets better soon.

Juggling Friends 6/7/02
w/Will on bass and Taper Tim on guitar and vocals

opening Doorsy noodle
Iko Iko
Can't Always Get What You Want*
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Let It Rock^
Obsession*^
Mystery Train^

* w/Dan Tepper on trumpet
^ w/Kenny Sorensen on harmonica

Replies:

Re(1): The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ - 6/7/02 - By Taper Tim 6/8/2002 at 01:24:30 PM
Re(2): The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ - 6/7/02 - By Taper Tim 6/8/2002 at 01:27:20 PM
Re(3): The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ - 6/7/02 - By Gus 6/8/2002 at 03:46:40 PM

Re(1): The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ - 6/7/02
Posted on 6/8/2002 at 01:24:30 PM by Taper Tim

Thanks for the kind words and vibes Shaggy!

I believe that it was "99 Tears" as Gus's tease du jour.

See ya'll tonight for the Thrill on the Hill.

Re(2): The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ - 6/7/02
Posted on 6/8/2002 at 01:27:20 PM by Taper Tim

How about Will Dennis filling in on bass - a tremendous pinch hit!!!! And how about the thunderdous "Will Bomb" for that Other One tease - too sweet!

Kudos to Kenny S. and Dan T. for that added punch on harmonica and trumpet - thanks guys!

Gotta love the new edit feature Gus - you da man!

Re(3): The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ - 6/7/02
Posted on 6/8/2002 at 03:46:40 PM by Gus

a fun night indeed! only 96 Tears by the way...but of course, you can go back and edit the message now!